Don’t think I’m making enough money

Dear Pastor,

I am 24 and I am still living at home with my parents and one of my sisters. I recently met a young lady and we like each other.

We are both teachers. My father is an engineer and my mother is a businesswoman. When I told my parents about my girlfriend and the type of work she does, they did not discourage me from having a relationship with her. But my father said that I am going to remain poor until I die. My mother told my father that she has never considered us poor and my father said that she did not have to consider us poor because he is an engineer and brings home much more than her.

I have never looked at life in that way. Now that I am thinking of getting married and having a family, I have started to wonder how much I should really earn to live comfortably. We live in a very lovely home. When I started to work, my mother told me that I should only contribute to the groceries. I do not pay anything for electricity or water. I save with a credit union. I am making payments on my car and my girlfriend is doing the same. She is helping to send one of her brothers to university.

My father is encouraging me to buy land and for my girlfriend and I to build. He said he will help us. I had other girlfriends before I met this young lady, but I did not love them as much. She is a wonderful Christian and she comes from a good home. I do not find any fault with her. My mother said I should not take what my father said about living in poverty until I die seriously.

I want to be very comfortable in life and to support my wife and children well. I have never thought about becoming; rich perhaps I don't have ambition.

M.J.

Dear M.J.,

I want you to know that before someone chooses a profession, it must be one that they love.

It should also be one that they believe they can make the best contribution to their country and to mankind as a whole. They may think of money, but making money should not be the goal. It would be stupid if they do not think that they should live comfortably, but that should not be the main objective.

I am thinking of a man who was in politics. His wife said that he was always broke and many times he was unable to pay the bills. But there are many people in Jamaica who feel that all politicians are wealthy. That is far from the truth. I know a politician who went into politics as a poor man and died as a poor man. When he left politics, he was unable to own a car. He used to ride the buses and people were very sorry for him, but they respected him. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why your father said you will die poor. I am thinking of another politician who has never lost his seat, but he was known to be an honest man.

Every person, whether they are a teacher, a politician or a pastor, should endeavour to work hard to save and invest some of what they earn so that they can live very comfortably and happy in life. If you love this young lady, marry her, but don't totally ignore everything your father has said.

Pastor